(ANS – Roma) – May is the month of Mary and the month of professions – especially in Salesian Asia! During this month, and especially on 24 May, 139 young men in the two Asian Regions – Southern Asia and East Asia and Oceania – will make their first profession and become sons of Don Bosco.

East Asia and Oceania
The first novices to make their profession were four young men from the Thailand Province who did their novitiate at Sampran and made their first profession on 1 May. Particularly significant is the fact that among them were John Bosco Somony e John Bosco Nary Phen, the first two Cambodians to make their profession as Salesians. The Provincial, Fr Paul Prasert Somgam, presided at the celebration and received their vows.

A few days later, on Monday 6 May, it was the turn of the young people who had done their novitiate year at Lawaan, Cebu. There were ten of them, five from the Northern Filipino Province, three from the Southern Filipino Province and two from China. Two of these are Brother Salesians and the others are candidates for the clerical state. The professions were received by Fr George Militante, provincial of the province where the novitiate is situated.

This morning, on the eve of the Feast of Mary Help of Christians, nine novices of Myanmar made their profession, one of them as a Salesian Brother, the others as candidates for priesthood. Accompanied by Fr Bosco Ze Ya Aung and the rest of the formation team, the young men, all of Burmese nationality, said their “Yes” to the Salesian Congregation in the presence of the Superior of the Vice-Province, Fr Maurice Vallence.

Southern Asia
The novices from the seven Indian novitiates will all make their profession on 24 May, Feast of Mary Help of Christians.

At Siliguri in the Calcutta Province, seventeen young men will make their profession tomorrow in the presence of the Provincial, Fr Thomas Ellicherail. The biggest group, eight of them, come from the Calcutta Province, including one from Bangladesh. The others come, four from the Guwahati Province, two from Silchar and three from New Delhi.

At the Sacred Heart Novitiate in Hyderabad, nine will make their profession, all Indians, all from the Hyderabad Province and all of them candidates for priesthood. The Provincial, Fr Raminedi Balaraju, will receive their vows.

There is a similar situation in the novitiate at Sechii-Zubza in the Dimapur Province where tomorrow ten young men will become Salesians, all from the Province and all candidates for the clerical life.

Fifteen novices will make their profession in Padivayal in the presence of the Bangalore Provincial, Fr Thomas Anchukandam; twelve are from the Bangalore Province, and the remaining three from New Delhi.

Fr Michael Fernandes, Provincial of the Mumbai Province, will preside at the ceremony of first professions at the novitiate of Nasik. Thirteen young men will make their profession, among them three from the Panjim Province.

At the Idaya Deepam novitiate in Mangalam, Fr Johnson Albert, Provincial of Tiruchy, will receive the profession of nine novices from his own province, and another fifteen from the Chennai province.

The novitiate at Shillong  in the Sichar Province will see no fewer than twenty-eight young men make their first profession tomorrow. Half to them are from the Guwahati Province to which the novitiate belonged until 2011.  Fr George Maliekal, Provincial of Sichar, will receive their professions.

Published 23/05/2013